When I decided to start investing, I had no idea where to begin. I’d heard the usual advice—make your money work for you, buy and hold, and invest for the long term—but it all sounded kind of vague. What I really needed was a beginner-friendly app that made stock investing feel less like rocket science and more like… ordering takeout. Thankfully, that app exists. In fact, several do.
So I did what any curious beginner would do: I downloaded a handful of popular investing apps, poked around, made small trades, and figured out which ones actually made sense for someone just starting out.
If you’re wondering what the best apps to invest in stocks for beginners are, here’s my honest review of the ones I tried—and which ones I stuck with.
What I Was Looking For as a Beginner
Before jumping into the list, here’s what mattered to me (and might matter to you, too):
- Low or no fees (because I didn’t want my $50 investment getting eaten by commissions)
- Fractional shares (so I could buy a piece of Apple without needing $200+)
- Easy-to-use interface
- Educational content or at least helpful explanations
- Access to ETFs and stocks
- Optional: retirement accounts and automatic investing tools
- With that in mind, here’s what I found.
Robinhood – Easy Entry Into the Market
My First Investing App
Robinhood was the very first app I tried. It’s the go-to name that most beginners hear about, and for good reason—it’s super intuitive.
What I Liked
- No trading fees, period.
- Extremely user-friendly interface. I literally bought my first stock in under 3 minutes.
- Fractional shares are available, so I could start with as little as $1.
- Instant deposits (up to $1,000), so I didn’t have to wait for funds to clear.
- Sleek, minimalistic app design.
What I Didn’t Love
- Limited educational resources for beginners.
- No access to mutual funds or retirement accounts.
- Customer service used to be spotty (though it’s improved recently).
My Takeaway:
Robinhood is ideal if you want a simple and quick way to start buying stocks, especially with small amounts of money. It made investing feel approachable for me, which was exactly what I needed as a first-timer.
Fidelity – A Reliable, All-in-One Option
Stepping Into the Big Leagues (But Not Too Big)
After I got comfortable with the basics, I realized I wanted something more robust—something that offered retirement accounts, better customer support, and more investing tools. Enter: Fidelity.
What I Liked
- No commissions on U.S. stocks and ETFs.
- Offers Roth IRAs, traditional IRAs, and 401(k) rollovers.
- Fractional shares with “Stocks by the Slice.”
- Great customer support—I once called and spoke to a real human within 2 minutes.
- Access to more in-depth research tools, if and when you’re ready for them.
What I Didn’t Love
- Not as sleek or beginner-focused as some apps.
- The dashboard can feel a bit overwhelming at first glance.
My Takeaway:
If you’re serious about building long-term wealth (think: Roth IRA + index funds), Fidelity is a rock-solid choice. I still use it for my retirement investing, and it’s become my financial home base.
M1 Finance – Great for Automated Investing
My Set It and Forget It App
Once I was more confident, I wanted to automate my investing. That’s when I tried M1 Finance—and I was blown away by the idea of creating “pies.”
What I Liked
- Fractional shares, so you can build a diversified portfolio with small amounts.
- You design your own “pie” (a portfolio), then set up automatic contributions.
- No trading fees.
- Offers both regular brokerage and retirement accounts.
What I Didn’t Love
Trades only happen once per day (morning window), so it’s not for active trading.
The pie interface is cool, but it took me a few days to fully understand how it works.
My Takeaway:
M1 Finance is perfect if you’re more interested in passive investing and automation than picking stocks every week. I use it to auto-invest in a mix of ETFs and dividend stocks every payday.
Public – Investing With a Social Twist
For the Social Learner
I downloaded Public after hearing that it combined investing with a social media vibe. I was skeptical—but also curious. Turns out, it’s actually kind of fun.
What I Liked
- No commissions on stocks or ETFs.
- Fractional shares available.
- Transparent business model (no payment for order flow).
- Social feed lets you see what others are buying and why (you can choose to keep your trades private, too).
- Bite-sized educational content built into the app.
Next Article To Read: How I Built My First Stock Portfolio (With Only 3 Stocks)